Practice, exercise, and strengthening device for batting and similar swinging motions

ABSTRACT

A device is disclosed for batting practice, by baseball players in batting practice; it can also be adapted for use by golfers, tennis players, etc., for practice and exercise in swinging other types of clubs, racquets, etc. It comprises a horizontal base, a vertical neck assembly that allows height adjustment, and a “head” component that encloses a set of “flaps” made of a stiff-but-yielding material, such as rubberized materials commonly used to make conveyor belts. Roughly a dozen to twenty rectangular segments of resistive material are mounted within the head in a generally vertical direction, from the top and bottom surfaces in the head, spaced apart from each other a suitable distance. As the end of a bat is swung through the head assembly, it encounters substantial resistance from the flaps, which generate a level of resistive force that provides good exercise.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of mechanical devices and sportingequipment, and relates to devices that baseball players, golfers, tennisand racquetball players, and others can use to strengthen muscles anddevelop skills in batting or in swinging other types of clubs, rackets,etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various types of mechanical devices have been developed to help peopleexercise and strengthen specific muscle groups, and to practice variousrepetitive skills, that are useful in various types of sporting and/orleisure activities.

For purposes of describing and illustrating this invention, thediscussion below will focus on baseball, and on baseball players whowish to develop, practice, and enhance their batting skills. However,this description and illustration is not intended to be limiting, andthose skilled in the art will recognize that the device described hereincan be adapted to helping golfers, tennis and racquetball players, andothers develop muscles and skills that are used in swinging golf clubs,tennis racquets, and similar sporting devices. In addition, similardevices can be adapted and provided that will help people developstrength and skills in bowling, underhand pitching, or other activitiesthat involve releasing a ball or other device. Accordingly, anyreferences herein to baseball, or to batting or batting practice (andany references to any particular sport or sporting activity) areintended to be merely illustrative, and not limiting.

Terms such as “practice” and “exercise” are used interchangeably herein,since the activities described herein involve physical motion which, ifpracticed and repeated with sufficient frequency, will lead to both (i)strengthening of various muscles and muscle groups, and (ii) higherlevels of coordination and skill. As an example, batting practice usingthe machines disclosed herein will help develop and strengthen numerousmuscles in the arms, shoulders, chest, and neck, and will also helpdevelop and strengthen, to an extent that would surprise many people,the coordination of those upper body muscles with additional muscles inthe legs and lower abdomen that contribute substantially to power andsuccess in skilled batters.

In addition, any references herein to any sport or sporting activityincludes activities either by professional athletes, or by amateurs whoplay at any level, including levels that would be regarded as leisurerather than as a serious pursuit. There is no dividing line betweencompetition and leisure, when it comes to activities such as softball,golf, tennis, bowling, or any other sport, and indeed, one of the mostenjoyable aspects of all of those activities, at any level ofseriousness, is the role and presence of “friendly competition”, inwhich any player is welcome, invited, and encouraged to practice as muchas he or she wants, to buy the best equipment, to get lessons orcoaching if desired, and to try to beat any and all competitors, whetherfriends and adversaries. Accordingly, the devices described herein arewell-suited to be purchased and used in homes (such as in the homes ofyoung athletes who aspire to collegiate or professional competition), byprofessional clubs or athletes, at that offer fields or other facilitiesto teams or leagues, at gyms, exercise clubs, and similar facilities,and in any other suitable venue or location.

With regard to batting practice for baseball players, the most widelyused types of exercise and practice devices that have been developed todate fall into two main categories. One category includes pitchingmachines, which typically hurl a ball in a relatively consistent pathwayover a plate, while the batter stands next to the plate and attempts tohit the balls that are being hurled by the machine. For both safety andconvenience, this type of activity is most commonly done in a “battingcage” that uses chain-link fence and/or nets to prevent the balls thatare hit from leaving an enclosed area. The other category of exercisedevice includes abnormally heavy bats, and weighted rings that fitaround the striking portion of a bat, which are often used by batters toloosen up their muscles while they are “on deck” and waiting for theirturn to bat.

Those are the only known exercise or practice devices that have beenwidely adopted and used by baseball players, to practice their battingskills. However, various other devices, methods, or systems are known,and merit attention. One such system, the so-called “Shortswing” systemillustrated and advertised at www.shortswing, is a relativelylightweight system that apparently is used to teach young players how toswing a bat in an efficient arc, so it will reach the impact point asquickly as possible. That type of system can be regarded as intendedmainly for teaching style and form; even though the swinging of any batwill offer at least some exercise, is is not the type of “high quality”exercise that can rapidly strengthen muscles.

In addition, some coaches have younger players use their bats to hit ais hanging from a tree or other support by a rope or chain. Thatapproach also can provide some amount of exercise, but it is not “highquality” exercise that can rapidly strengthen muscles, and the impactsthat are created when a bat actually hits a tire and bounces off cancauses harmful stresses and even injuries to the wrists and forearms ofyoung players.

Complicated cable-and-pulley systems also have been developed, to allowprofessional baseball players to practice and exercise swinging motionsagainst controlled resistive forces. These can indeed provide goodstrengthening exercise, but they suffer from several limitations,including: (i) they typically require an exercise area that is roughlythe size of an entire room; (ii) they do not allow a baseball player tomove the bat at a high speed, and instead require the player to swingthe bat at an artificially slow speed, which impedes the development ofan overall coordinated approach that heavily involves the legs and lowerabdomen; and, (iii) they are expensive, and typically can be affordedonly by athletes who play in the major leagues, or by collegiate orminor league teams that must divide and allocate any practice time onsuch equipment among roughly 30 players.

Accordingly, one object of this invention is to disclose and provide animproved batting practice device for baseball players, which is moreconvenient, less expensive, and less combersome than previouslyavailable exercise devices.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide an improvedbatting practice device for baseball players, which allows players toswing the bat at high speed, in a manner that exercises not just thearms, shoulders, and chest muscles, but also the leg and abdominalmuscles in a coordinated manner that can help develop and enhance thecomplete set of strength and skills used in swinging a bat.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide an improvedpractice device that can be adapted for use by golfers, tennis players,and others who swing various types of clubs, racquets, or other devicesin their sports.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparentthrough the following summary, drawings, and detailed description.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device is disclosed for use by baseball players in batting practice(and which can be adapted to enable use by golfers, tennis players,etc., for practice and exercise in swinging various other types ofclubs, racquets, etc.). This device comprises: (i) a horizontal base,which preferably should be provided with wheels, skids, or othercomponents that will enable it to be moved conveniently by one personwithout requiring any special equipment, but which will also providestability during use; (ii) a vertical neck (strut, support, etc.)assembly that is adjustable, to allow any user to adjust the height ofthe device to any desired location; and, (iii) a “head” component thatencloses a set of “flaps”, which are rectangular segments made of astiff-but-yielding “resistive” material, such as fiber-reinforcedrubberized materials commonly used to make conveyor belts. Roughly adozen to twenty rectangular segments of resistive material are mountedwithin the head in a generally vertical direction, from each of the topand bottom surfaces in the head, spaced apart from each other a suitabledistance. As the end of a bat is swung through the head assembly, itencounters substantial resistance from the flaps, which generate a levelof resistive force that provides good exercise for a batter. A design isdisclosed that ensures proper spacing of the flaps, and that allowsflaps to be conveniently replaced when they become worn. Similar devicesare disclosed for practicing swinging motions used in activities such asgolf, tennis, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front (elevation) view of a batting practice device, showinga “head” assembly with an array of vertical flaps, mounted on top of anadjustable neck assembly, supported by a horizontal base assembly.

FIG. 2 is a side (elevation) view of the batting practice device,showing the curved “C-frame” that supports and enclosesstiff-but-flexible rectangular flaps affixed to the top and bottomsurfaces of the C-frame.

FIG. 3 is top (plan) view of the horizontal base, showing the width ofthe “front” supports (which will provide stability for the device, as abat swings through the resistive flaps in the head assembly, fromright-to-left or vice-versa), and showing wheels mounted at the ends ofthe “back” supports, to enable the device to be conveniently tilted andwheeled to a different location whenever desired.

FIG. 4 is a top (plan) view of the head assembly, showing the C-frameextending in the top-to-bottom direction in the drawing, and showing a“clamping bar” that extends in the left and right directions beyond themain body of the C-frame, to provide a longer resistive travel path forthe head of a bat that is being swung through the device.

FIG. 5 is a side (elevation) view of a clamping bar that will clamp andsecure a lower flap, showing: (i) supporting brackets affixed to theC-frame; (ii) a center hole through the clamping bar, to allow athreaded rod to pass through an entire series of clamping bars; and,(iii) flanking pins on both sides of the center hole, which will passthrough holes punched through the flaps.

FIG. 6 is a side (elevation) view of several clamping bars, which clamptogether a series of flaps while spacing the flaps apart from eachother.

FIG. 7 depicts a similar practice device mounted in a low and angledorientation, to allow golfers to practice golf swings.

FIG. 8 depicts a practice device having a tubular or spherical headaffixed to a grip used in a golf club.

FIG. 9 depicts a practice device having a tubular head affixed to a gripused in a tennis racquet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, callout number 100 in FIG. 1 refers to abatting practice device according to the present invention. Device 100can be regarded as comprising three main subassemblies, referred toherein as base 200, neck 300, and head 400. The head 400 is alsoreferred to in the claims as a “frame assembly”, since it provides aframe that holds the movable flaps, and since some practice devices(such as the practice device for golfers, shown in FIG. 7) will not siton top of a neck or other vertical component.

Any of various terms can be used to describe various components andsubassemblies herein. As examples, base 200 can also be called afoundation, support, or similar terms, neck 300 can also be called astrut, tube, riser, or similar terms, and head 400 can also be called abox, enclosure, actuator, etc., and the base 200 and neck 300 can becollectively referred to as a stand, support, etc. The choice ofspecific terms for such components or subassemblies is not important, solong as the reader or user understands the design of the system, and theroles and interactions of its components.

The elevation view in FIG. 1 is regarded as the front view, since itdepicts the front of the device, as seen by a batter standing in frontof it (in other words, a batter would be standing at the bottom of thepicture, if the device is oriented as shown in the plan view drawings ofFIGS. 3 and 4). The arrows near left end 402 and right end 404 of headassembly 400 indicate the directions a bat will travel, when swung byleft-handed and right-handed batters. The elevation view of device 100shown in FIG. 2 is from the left side, and shows left end 402 of thehead assembly 400. It should be noted that FIG. 1 shows the headassembly at a lowered (or retracted) height, for storage or for a batterwho wishes to practice a low swing, while FIG. 2 shows the head assemblyat a raised (or extended, elevated, etc.) height.

In the system illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the height of a “strikeline” 498 (i.e., the horizontal line or region where the tips of thelower flaps 482 and upper flaps 484 closely approach) can be adjustedfrom a minimum of about 36 inches, to a maximum of about 54 inches. Ifdesired, a player or team can purchase additional units having differentheight ranges, to help batters practice swinging at lower pitches. Ifunits that provide relatively low “strike line” heights are used, theygenerally should be angled in a manner that places the front of the boxhigher up than the back of the box, to accommodate for the downwardangle of a bat being swing in a lower arc. This can be done by eitherpermanently affixing the head at such an angle, or by providing a tiltadjustment mechanism that operates about an axis that travels betweenthe left and right ends of the head assembly 400.

As shown in FIG. 3, base 200 comprises two front legs 210 and 220, andtwo rear legs 230 and 240 (other numbers or arrangements can be used, ifdesired). Those legs (given that name because they rest on the ground)can also be called arms (since they are generally horizontal), bars, orother terms. All four legs can be made of steel or any other selectedmaterial with a suitable combination of substantial weight, strength,and stability. Any and all steel components other than bolts, screws,nuts, etc., preferably should be painted, and any bolts, screws, nutsetc. preferably should be made of galvanized, stainless, or similargrades of steel, to protect against corrosion, since these devices arelikely to be left outside on at least some occasions. The legspresumably should having a tubular, square, or rectangularcross-sectional shape, because those shapes are readily available andinexpensive, and because they are enclosed and generally will notcollect or hold water (which can cause rusting) if the device is leftoutside and is rained on or becomes wet from dew, sprinklers, etc.

Left front leg 210 is provided with an optional hinge 212 and lockingmechanism 214, which enables end 216 of leg 210 to be unlocked and thenrotated into the position shown by dotted lines 218. In a similarmanner, right front leg 220 uses hinge 222 and locking mechanism 224 toenable rotation of end 226 into the position shown by dotted lines 228.This or similar means for retracting the two front legs 210 and 220 canrender it more convenient to roll the device through a doorway or gate.

It must be understood that substantial lateral stresses and forces willbe imposed on the head 300, each time a relatively strong athlete swingsa bat at high speed, through the resistive lower flaps 482 and upperflaps 484 that are mounted in the head assembly 400. Accordingly, thedevice preferably should be movable by one person without assistance,yet it must also have sufficient mass, weight, strength, and stiffnessto minimize motion and travel of the device (and in particular the headassembly 400) when a person uses the device, by swinging a solid movableobject through the flaps in a way that will exert substantial and evenlarge forces on the flaps. Accordingly, testing of prototypes hasindicated that stand components made of steel having a cross-sectionalthickness of about 1/8 inch can provide a stand that has sufficientstrength and weight to give it stability, while also allowing it to beconveniently moved and used without damaging grass, gym floors, etc.

The ends 216 and 226 of the front legs 210 and 200 should be at leastseveral feet apart from each other, when both legs are fully extended asillustrated in FIG. 3, and they can be provided with either or both oftwo types of components that can help stabilize the device 100 duringuse: (i) soft rubber pads 202, as shown in FIG. 2, which will helpminimize any movement either outdoors or indoors, and/or (ii) holes 214that will allow spikes to be driven through the front legs 210, ifdesired, when the device is resting on grass or dirt. Various othermeans can also be used to prevent the device from jumping, shifting,drifting, or otherwise traveling during use; as one example, varioustypes of rubberized mats (such as the types of mats that are often usedto prevent a washing machine from traveling across a floor during ahigh-speed spin cycle) can be placed beneath a practice device, and suchmats can be large enough to allow the batter to stand on the mat aswell.

Unless a device 100 is going to be permanently affixed to the ground,rear legs 220 preferably should be provided with wheels 222 (or casters,ball rollers, etc.), to allow the device to be conveniently movedwithout requiring special equipment or an entire crew or team. Suchwheels can be made from a rubberized material that will act in a mannersimilar to the rubber pads 212, to help minimize any motion and travelof the device during use. If desired, wheels with locking devices can beprovided.

Transport of the device from one location to another can be facilitatedby placing a handle 406 (such as a rod, a short segment of pipe, etc.)near the top and back of the “C-frame” 410. As indicated in FIG. 2,C-frame 410 was given that name because it generally has the shape of aletter “C” when looked at from the end; alternately, it can be referredto as a U-frame, since it has the shape of a letter U that is lying onits side, with straight horizontal segments (rather than rounded endsegments, as occur in a letter C) flanking the opening. Regardless,handle 406 can either pass between two flat plates 412 and 414 that formthe left and right sides or ends of C-frame 410, or it can extendoutwardly, beyond the flat plates 412 and 414, if desired.

Within base 200, front legs 210 and rear legs 220 can be welded orotherwise securely affixed to a vertical pipe 310 that forms the lowercomponent of neck assembly 300. Vertical pipe 310 (also called lowerpipe 310, since it provides the lower component of neck assembly 300) isshown by a circular cross-section in the plan (top) views of FIGS. 3 and4, and in a side view in FIGS. 1 and 2. It receives and encloses asmaller (upper) pipe 320, in a manner that allows the height of the headassembly 400 to be adjusted. A suitable height-adjusting mechanism canbe provided by any or all of several mechanisms. For example, FIG. 2illustrates a threaded rod 330 that is affixed to the base 200 and thelower pipe 310; this rod passes through a large internally-threaded nutor plate 332 which is welded to the bottom of smaller (upper) pipe 320.Therefore, rotation of the upper (smaller) pipe 320 causes the threadednut or plate 332 to travel upward or downward on the threaded rod 330,thereby adjusting the height of the upper (smaller) pipe 320 and of theentire head assembly 400. Pin 340 is inserted into aligned holes inpipes 310 and 320, after the head 400 has been adjusted to a desiredheight, to prevent any subsequent rotation during use.

The height-adjusting mechanism using threaded rod 330 and nut 332requires the entire head assembly 400 to be rotated in a completecircle, multiple times, to alter its height between fully retracted andfully extended positions. This adjustment means will be preferred bysome users, since it provides a simple and inexpensive mechanism thatenables a person to adjust the height of a relatively heavy headassembly without requiring assistance, and without having to lay theentire device down on the ground and then lift it up again. If awidely-spaced threading is used for rod 330 and nut 332, and if the rodand nut are kept properly greased (such as once each year), heightadjustment can be carried out quickly by using a rapid twirling motionfor the head assembly. However, alternate systems can be provided ifdesired, such as a lever-type “jack” mechanism, pins that will passthrough aligned holes, etc.

At the top of neck assembly 300, a securing mechanism is provided thatallows both: (i) detachment of the head assembly 400, for storage,transportation, or other handling; and, (ii) tilting of the headassembly, if desired. This can be accomplished in various ways, such as:(i) providing a first (or main) attachment pin 422 that will engageaccomodating holes that pass through the C-frame 410 and the upper endof upper pipe 320, and (ii) providing a second (or tilt-adjustment) pin424 that will pass through a hole in the upper end of upper pipe 320,and through a semi-circular plate 426 that has been welded to the bottomof the C-frame 410 and that is provided with a series of closely-spacedholes, arranged in an arc that allows tilting of the head assembly, asillustrated.

C-frame 410 is shown in a side (end) view in FIG. 2, and in a plan viewin FIG. 4. It can be fabricated in any suitable manner that satisfiesits operating requirements. One preferred mode of construction uses asteel plate, which can be a simple rectangle, or which can be cut (whilestill flat) into a shape that provides wider segments at the two ends ofthe plate, to provide longer and more secure support for supportbrackets 452-458 (which will be used to secure the multiple clampingbars 460). Any suitable means (such as stamping, laser cutting, etc.)can be used for shaping the plate that is used to make C-frame 410 orany other metal plate.

After it has been laser-cut or otherwise shaped, plate 430 is formedinto a semi-rounded shape. Heat can be used, if desired, butcold-forming machines known as “press brake” machines can also be used,usually with lower energy and overall costs, if multiple units are beingmanufactured. The rounded plate can be referred to as having a C-shape(since the opening will be horizontal rather than vertical) or a U-shape(sunce the two ends at the opening will be straight rather thanrounded). This semi-rounded plate is welded to left and right verticalflanking plates 412 and 414.

Testing of prototypes that were designed for adults has indicated that,to provide adequate strength and stability without making the device tootop-heavy, most of the steel parts in a device 100 generally should havethicknesses of about 1/8 inch. However, any plate thickness can bealtered, if desired, especially in practice devices being built forchildren or young teenagers, females, etc., provided that the goals andoperating requirements of these practice devices are properly understoodand met.

A suitable design and arrangement for a mechanism that can holdstiff-but-flexible flaps is shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6. In thisarrangement, which is illustrative rather than limiting, the foursupport brackets are designated as top front bracket 452, top rearbracket 454, lower front bracket 456, and lower rear bracket 458, allshown in FIG. 2. Alternately, a single top bracket and a single lowerbracket could be used, if front and rear engagement means (such asrectangular channels, as shown) are provided on each of the top andbottom brackets.

A closer side (elevation) view of a clamping bar 460 mounted on thelower end of the C-frame 410 is provided in FIG. 6, which also shows alower flap 482, lower front bracket 456, and lower rear bracket 458. Toreduce manufacturing costs, and to minimize any risk of confusion when aset of flaps is being replaced, all upper and lower clamping barspreferably should use identical designs, and should be interchangeable,with the exception of two clamping bars that will be positioned in theupper center and lower center locations, which can have holes drilledthrough them so they can be securely and permanently afficed to C-frame410.

Clamping bar 460 (which has a square cross-section, as shown in FIG. 6)has a center hole or orifice 462 that has been drilled, laser-cut, orotherwise created through both of its side walls, as indicated in FIG.5. These holes, which will be aligned in all clamping bars used in ahead assembly, will allow a lower threaded rod 472 (shown in FIG. 1) topass through all of the lower clamping bars. An upper threaded rod 474is also shown in FIG. 1, passing through all of the upper clamping bars.

FIG. 6 depicts a side (elevation) view of a series of lower clampingbars, showing a lower flap 482 that are held in place by two identicalclamping bars 460. Each clamping bar has two protruding pins 464 (whichcan be provided by rivets, by welding, by threaded bolts that engagethreaded holes that are created in the side walls of the clamping bars,etc.) in one side wall 465, and two holes or orifices 466 that passthrough opposing side wall 467. Therefore, when a series of clampingbars 460 are lined up and secured to each other, the two pins thatprotrude from one clamping bar will fit into the two accommodating holesof the adjacent clamping bar. As indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, this allowseach set of two pins to pass through two aligned holes that have beenpunched, stamped, or drilled through each flap (a third hole whichpasses through each flap will also allow an upper or lower threaded rod472 or 474 to also pass through the flap.

Accordingly, since two pins and a threaded rod (all in a linearalignment, with the pins flanking the threaded rod, as shown in FIG. 5)will pass through each flap, these three affixing and securingcomponents will securely hold the flap in position and prevent it fromrotating or otherwise drifting or traveling, even though each flap willbe subjected to repeated blows and deflections, wherever the battingpractice device is being used. Accordingly, each flap will have both afixed portion (i.e., the portion of the flap that is immobilized betweentwo clamping bars, indicated by callout number 482F in FIG. 6), and atleast one movable portion (indicated by callout number 482M in FIG. 6).Accordingly, the claims refer to a plurality of “flexible components”(exemplified by rubberized flaps made of conveyor belt material, in theembodiment disclosed herein), with each flexible component “having atleast one fixed portion and at least one movable portion, said flexiblecomponents made of material that will yield but that will resistdisplacement when a solid movable object is swung, by a person using thedevice, in a manner that contacts and displaces said flexiblecomponents”.

At one end of the head assembly 400, each threaded rod (lower rod 472 orupper rod 474) will pass cleanly and without obstruction through aslightly enlarged smooth hole. At the opposed end of the head assembly400, each threaded rod will engage a threaded nut (which can be providedby a non-affixed wingnut, which can be easily replaced if it becomesworn, or by a threaded machined hole or any other internally-threadedengagement means). This will allow each threaded rod to be used as areversible clamping mechanism, during initial installation of a set offlaps, or during replacement of a set of worn flaps.

Installation and/or replacement of the flaps can be facilitated bysecurely affixing (by welding or bolting) a single upper clamping bar,and a single lower clamping bar, to its mounting brackets. Forconvenience and to make installation easier, the center clamping bar ineach of the lower and upper arrays preferably should be affixed to themounting brackets, while the other clamping bars in both arrays areallowed to move. In mechanical systems, this ability to move, when aninstallation or replacement procedure is being carried out, is oftencalled “floating”. However, this “floating” movement occurs only for abrief period, during an installation or replacement procedure. At allother times, the clamping bars that “float” are held in a fixed position(with respect to the head assembly) by clamping pressure that is exertedby a threaded rod. When the threaded rod is tightened, to complete theinstallation or replacement of a set of flaps, the tightening of the rodwill secure all of the “floating” clamping bars to the center clampingbar. The center clamping bar can be referred to as an “anchoring” bar,since it will not move (with respect to the head assembly), because ithas been bolted or welded to front and rear support brackets, which inturn have been bolted or welded to the upper and lower ends of theC-frame 410.

When conventional conveyor belt material (as seen in a typical grocerystore) is used, good results have been provided by using flaps havingtotal heights of about 8.5 inches (with about 3/4 inch of that heightheld tightly between clamping bars and the remaining 7/75″ exposed), andwith widths (this dimension can also be referred to as their depth) ofabout 6″.

The upper and lower flaps can be punched, stamped, laser-cut, orotherwise formed from a selected material having a desired balance ofstiffness, flexibility, and resiliency. In tests done to date, entirelysuitable flaps have been created from material that was manufactured forconveyor belts. A variety of materials made for different types andgrades of conveyor belts are commercially available, and any suchmaterials can be tested and evaluated, to determine their suitabilityfor use as described herein. Conveyor belt materials made entirely ofsteel or other metallic links (as commonly used in manufacturing andindustrial operations) are not preferred for use herein, since theywould exert high levels of abrasion that would rapidly damage a practicebat. Instead, preferred materials that will cause lower levels ofabrasion and wear are offered by conveyor belt materials that arecommonly used in retail and similar settings, comprising a coatingand/or impregnating layer made of a pliable rubber-type material(usually made of a synthetic polymer), which covers a layer or matrix ofwoven or knitted fibers (usually made of nylon, polyester, or similarsynthetic materials).

It also should be noted that conveyor belt materials having differentthicknesses are available, and their stiffness varies substantially,based on thickness as well as materials. Accordingly, if desired,thinner flaps with less resistance can be used on either or both of theends of an array of flaps, while thick flaps with maximum stiffness canbe used in the middle. Still more variations in stiffness can beprovided by various means such as, for example: (1) by varying thewidths (depths) of one or more flaps, since a wider flap will be stifferand create more resistance than a thinner flap; (2) by making one ormore types of cuts or grooves in a flap, such as by using a sawblade(which will remove material) or knife blade (which will not removematerial) to cut a resistive flap lengthwise into two halves, or intothree or more “fingers”; and, (3) by creating flaps that have tapered,angled, or other “reduced” shapes (rather than “full” rectangularshapes) in their movable portions.

It should also be noted that: (i) flaps can be installed as double oreven triple sets, between any two adjacent clamping bars, and (ii) theycan be provided with varying lengths, to create a curved or arced strikeline.

The arrays of upper and lower flaps will not be directly connected toeach other; instead, in one preferred arrangement, their upper tips ofthe lower flaps, and the lower tips of the upper flaps, preferablyshould approach each other, as closely as practial but withoutoverlapping, since overlapping ends would generate additional abrasionand wear within the flaps themselves. This arrangement will create a“swing path” that will allow a bat head to travel through the headassembly 400, at any speed the batter can generate, and in a manner thatgenerates the least resistance when the batter successfully aims anddirects the bat into the exact vertical center of the head assembly 400.

However, even when the resistive pressure is minimized, by the battersuccessfully “hitting” the exact vertical center of the head assembly400, that resistive pressure will still be very substantial, and it willprovide a good and useful form of exercise, practice, and developmentnot just for specific muscle groups, but also for the propercoordination of numerous different muscle groups that must all worktogether to provide a truly powerful and effective swing.

If desired, the tips of some or all of the flaps can be painted, dippedinto a white or colored dye, or otherwise treated to provide a bettervisual target for the batter to swing at. The exact spot the batter willtry to hit can be referred to by terms such as “the sweet spot”. If thebatter misses “the sweet spot” only slightly, the flaps will offersomewhat greater resistance; if the batter misses it by a largerdistance, he or she will hit the upper or lower flaps closer to theirrigidly clamped bases, which will cause an unpleasant and in some caseseven painful jolting of the handle. Accordingly, this “feedback”mechanism will offer a powerful incentive for anyone using this type ofpractice machine to concentrate and focus on controlling the verticalposition of the bat's swing path.

In addition, since pitchers deliberately vary the heights of theirpitches, to cover the entire strike zone (and to “nibble” around theouter edges of the strike zone, hoping batters will swing at pitches outof the strike zone), a control mechanism can be provided if desired,which will alter the height of the head assembly 400 between swings.This type of control system, which can cause the “sweet spot” to move upand down unpredictably between swings, can help a batter practice theskill of carefully focusing on adjusting the height of his or her swing,in response to where the head assembly has moved, before each swing.This type of control system can be provided by, for example, a smallelectric motor that controls rotation of a rotary gear (the “pinion”gear) in a “rack and pinion” gear system, which will place a linear gear(the “rack”) on either the upper or lower component of a telescopingvertical neck. The electric motor that causes the head assembly to moveup and down can be under the control of either: (i) an automaticdetector, which can cause the head assembly to move up or down, eachtime a bat swings through the head assembly and causes a detector to betriggered, or (ii) a foot switch, which can be operated by a batter whois practicing, or by a coach who is watching the batter and offeringguidance.

If desired, either or both of the two “sides” (or “ends”) of a headassembly 400 can be provided with surfaces or replaceable fixtures thatare made of, or covered by, a rubberized or other non-rigid material.Such surfaces or fixtures also can be angled and/or curved, in a mannerthat provides a funnel-type entryway that will help direct apoorly-aimed bat into the desired path. These devices can help minimizedamage to practice bats, and to practice devices; they also can helpthese devices be used with greater confidence and frequency by peoplewith beginning levels of skill, and by batters who wish to become switchhitters, who can bat from either side of the plate depending on whethera pitcher they are facing is left-handed or right-handed.

FIG. 7 depicts a practice device 600 for golfers, having a head assembly610 mounted on a low base 620. Since golf device 600 needs to be asclose to the ground as possible, it does not contain a vertical neckassembly or component, and base 620 is provided with stakes 622 that canbe driven directly into grass or soft ground. Base 620 can also providedwith a height adjustment mechanism on one side, to allow the angle ofthe device 600 to be adjusted, to accommodate golfers of differentheights and clubs with different lengths.

If this type of device is used for practicing golf swings, a modifiedpractice club should be provided, as illustrated by practice club 900,in FIG. 9. Practice club 900 has a cylindrical or spherical head 902,affixed to a conventional golf club shaft 904, which has a golf grip 904at the end that is held by the user. Head 902 is mounted on shaft 904 ina centered position, rather than in an offset manner as used in actualgolf clubs, to ensure that head 902 will pass smoothly and properlythrough the flaps in device 600 without generating unwanted torque andtwisting motions in shaft 904 or grip 906.

As known by any golfer, the “sweet spot” of a golf club sits roughly 1to 2 inches “above” the center of the shaft. If the shaft of a gold clubis swung directly at a golf ball, the “foot” or “heel” of the club (orthe “hozzle”, which is the interface where the shaft attaches to theclub) would strike the ball, causing a bad hit often referred to as“shanking” the ball.

To accommodate that “offset” factor, a circle of paint or dye can bepainted on the exposed surfaces of the “upper” flaps of the golfpractice head assembly 610, or a white plastic ball 612 having the samediameter as a golf ball can be affixed just above the upper flaps of thehead assembly, by means of a clip or extension, as illustrated in FIG.8. Either means can be used to depict a golf ball sitting roughly 1 to 2inches “above” the ideal travel path for the shaft 904 and head 902 ofpractice club 900. This will allow a golfer to practice a proper swing,which will cause shaft 904 to pass about 1 to 2 inches “below” golf ball612.

Alternately or additionally, a single row of flaps, rather than two rowsof flaps, can be used in a golf practice device. If a single row offlaps is used, various orientations of the flaps can be provided, ifdesired, for use with either (i) normal golf clubs having conventionalstriking heads, or (ii) practice clubs having modified heads designedfor interacting with such flaps rather than for striking golf balls. Asexamples, a single row of flaps that are secured along their bottomedges (causing them to point in a generally upward but angledorientation), or along their back edges (causes them to point generallytoward the golfer's hands and chest), can be evaluated for such use witheither conventional golf clubs, or modified practice clubs.

FIG. 9 illustrates a “practice racquet” 940 for a tennis player.Practice racquet 940 comprises a cylindrical, spherical, or otherwiserounded head 942, affixed to a shaft or neck 944 that has a conventional946 grip as found on tennis racquets (this type of grip typically uses agenerally rectangular shape, with the four corners beveled to an extentthat creates a semi-octagonal cross-section, which is then wrapped witha helical strap of leather or synthetic material). This type of practiceracquet 940 can allow a tennis player use the same type of exercisedevice 100 used by batters (as shown in FIGS. 1-5) to exercise: (i)specific arm, shoulder, and chest muscles that are used in forehandand/or backhand strokes, and (ii) larger coordinated interactions thatenable the feet, legs, and abdomen, when properly positioned and used,to add more power and speed to forehand and backhand swings.

Single-Row Flaps; Bowling Practice Devices

Similar devices can be developed and adapted for other similar uses. Asone example, this type of device can be used to help bowlers exerciseand practice their handling of bowling balls. Such devices can be sizedand adapted for use with standard bowling balls, having conventionalfinger holes, so bowlers can practice with actual balls, in ways thatexercise their hands and fingers. Alternately or additionally, practicedevices can also be used with modified practice balls, having arod-type, molded, or other type of hand grip that can provide a tighterand more secure grip, enabling a bowler to exercise and practice longer(developing more strength and coordination in arm, shoulder, chest, andabdominal and leg muscles) without being limited by excessive tiring andfatigue of the hand and fingers. Such practice balls can be providedwith any desired diameter.

The use of such devices in bowling exercises and practice also pointsout another option that deserves mention, involving C-frames or othertypes of head assemblies that contain only one row of flaps, rather thantwo. This can enable a bowler to move a practice ball through a swingpath that is closer to the bowler's hip and leg than could be providedby a head assembly having two symmetric rows of flaps; this can enable abowler to practice a normal and natural swing that closely emulates thenormal and comfortable arc of a bowling ball during use.

If desired, a row of narrow-diameter cylindrical rollers with rubberizedsurfaces (or other comparable devices) can be positioned inside the headassembly, to help establish and define the swing path that a bowlingball or practice ball will travel through. Such rollers can be freelyrotating, if desired, or they can be designed to resist rotation, eitherto a fixed desired level, or to an adjustable level (such as by using awingnut or similar device to tighten or loosen a bar or plate that canpress against a surface of each roller, thereby hindering free rotationof the roller in a manner that can be quickly and conveniently adjustedas desired). In this manner, resistive rollers can provide a useful andbalanced accompaniment for a row of flaps.

Thus, there has been shown and described a new and useful class ofdevices for allowing skilled athletes, new beginners, and anyone at anylevel of skill between those two ends of the continuum, to practicevarious types of athletic skills that involve swinging a device(including but not limited to baseball bats, golf clubs, and tennisracquets). Although this invention has been exemplified for purposes ofillustration and description by reference to certain specificembodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatvarious modifications, alterations, and equivalents of the illustratedexamples are possible. Any such changes which derive directly from theteachings herein, and which do not depart from the spirit and scope ofthe invention, are deemed to be covered by this invention.

1. A device for improving strength and skill in swinging motions,comprising: a. a plurality of flexible components, each flexiblecomponent having at least one fixed portion and at least one movableportion, said flexible components made of material that will yield butthat will resist displacement when a solid movable object is swung, by aperson using the device, in a manner that contacts and displaces saidflexible components; b. a frame assembly that supports said flexiblecomponents in a manner that holds said fixed portions of said flexiblecomponents in a secure and non-moving manner while allowing displacementof said movable portions of said flexible components; and, c. means forpositioning said frame assembly and said flexible components at a heightand orientation that enables a person to swing a solid movable objectthrough a swing pathway that causes displacement of said flexiblecomponents, wherein the device has sufficient mass, weight, strength,and stiffness to minimize motion and travel of said frame assembly whena person using the device swings a solid movable object in a manner thatcontacts and displaces said movable portions of said flexiblecomponents.
 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said flexible componentscomprise flexible flaps.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said flexibleflaps are made of rubberized material.
 4. The device of claim 4, whereinthe rubberized material is of a type normally used to make conveyorbelts.
 5. The device of claim 1, wherein said frame assembly establishesan upper row of flaps and a lower row of flaps, and wherein said upperrow extends downward from said frame assembly and said lower row extendsupward from said frame assembly in a manner that causes portions of theflexible components in said upper row to closely approach portions ofthe flexible components in said lower row, thereby creating a pathway,between said upper row and said lower row, that will generate adesirable level of resistance when a person using the device swings asolid movable object through said pathway.
 6. The device of claim 5,wherein said frame assembly allows (i) worn flexible components to beremoved from the frame assembly, and (ii) unworn flexible components tobe installed in the frame assembly.
 7. The device of claim 1, sized anddesigned for use by a person holding a baseball bat.
 8. The device ofclaim 1, sized and designed for use by a person practicing a tennisswing using a swingable device comprising (i) a handle portion with asize and shape used in a tennis racquet, and (ii) a striking componentwith a size and shape designed to pass through the device of claim 1with a desirable level of resistance.
 9. The device of claim 1, sizedand designed for a person practicing a golf swing using a devicecomprising (i) handle and shaft components as used in a golf club, and(ii) a striking component having a size and shape that are designed topass through the device with a desirable level of resistance.
 10. Thedevice of claim 9, wherein said frame assembly is designed to be affixeddirectly to a ground surface.